Songs of Sorrow
by WraithLoverQueen
Summary: Two strange streams of a sorrowful fate lead two teams to a ancient temple reminiscent of an ancient parasite. Hostilities and friendships are raised along with a deadly force. An alliance must be formed in order for two realms to be saved from enslavement and destruction. T for violence. No slash.
1. Prologue

A/N: Heys. New story... ^^' Little something that crawled into my head and wouldn't leave! Anyway! This story takes place directly after the second Tomb Raider movie and sometime after Defiance.

Disclaimer: I don't own either franchises. I just own Sestine and Wralyx.

**Edit: You know... Every time I try to fix this chapter I add breaks. I really wish would leave them...**

Songs of Sorrow

The narrator for this chapter is an OC of mine but will change in later chapters.

Prologue

_Sorrow; this is an emotion that all living creatures feel at one point in life or another. Most fall prey to it when they've lost a loved one or someone of significant importance to them._

A tall dark figure sat upon the ledge of a high stone balcony, arm resting on a bent knee as a sword was held in their other hand. The misty blue glow coming from the eyes of the skull on the sword's hilt contrasted strangely with the crimson and orange of the sun setting over the land. Lowering the sword, the figure sighed and looked out over the land. Watching the sun make the shadows of the Pillars move slowly across the still semi-healthy land, he felt slightly at a loss. The feeling was odd and rather uncomfortable. With all his years of planning successful and his first born gone, he had no clue what to do with himself for the first time in thousands of years. Raziel's absence in the world was oddly disconcerting; he hadn't felt bad at all when the others were slaughtered by their own brother why should said brother being gone feel so strange. Passing it off as exhaustion and nothing more, he slowly got up to leave.

_V_

A feminine figure sat hunched up in her seat on the plane, legs pulled up to her curved chest and her nose between her knees. Eyes slightly wet from the tears that wanted to form but she refused them. She looked out the window, watching the beautiful landscape of the continent below pass by. The pain in her arm and the blood drying on the limb were forgotten as her mind was still in the Cradle of Life; how her once lover was gone by her own hand.

"All for the greater good" She told herself, making the tears want to flow again. A familiar sense of loss welled up in her; not as intense as the loss of her father but close in comparison. A sigh and a little hiccup escaped her throat. She rubbed her tired eyes with a grimy hand and resting her face against her knees; perhaps if she took a little nap the feel would just go away…

_The majority of people or creatures show it quite openly and for a good amount of time, this helps them to heal. Though, there are others… Ones, where sorrow is an emotion that is not felt often, therefore they're unsure on how it is dealt with. These ones stuff it down, hoping that if they hide it, it will not bother them._

Now under the cover of night, Kain's swarm of bats flew swiftly through the murky darkness. With time starting anew from this point in the timeline, he needed somewhere quiet and familiar to stop and think.

Flying through dense forests and over murky waterways, he headed for a secluded woodland hidden in the mountains to the north. Hours of familiar sights flying by, a sight he had not seen in many years came into view. It was a large and lonely castle, overrun with ancient vegetation and nested between tall trees. The bats flew lower towards one of the battlements, spiraling down to reshape into Kain. The stones of the castle walls seemed to be older looking than he remembered.

Ignoring this for now, he headed for one of the entryways and slipped inside. He looked around as he passed through the corridors and shook his head, purple-flamed torches lit the way but other than that there was no real personalization made to the old ruin.

He stopped suddenly in front of one of the large rooms, a small dining hall, and hesitated for a second. This was the room that the owner of the castle spent most of her time, usually reading dusty old tomes and wondered if she would recognize him. He really didn't want a repeat of their first meeting; of him sneaking into her castle and her being so upset she threw a bowl of water in his face as she started yelling at him. He stepped into the room, not surprised to see a large throne-like chair sitting in the back with books in piles around it. What did surprise him was to see the castle owner sleeping in the chair, book in lap; not that she was like this but the fact that she look almost exactly the same as when he had come to see her a few days before he had Raziel thrown into the abyss.

A few piles of books started to shift as something large moved behind them. It was an abnormally large black wolf; it raised its head and looked at him, nodding to him before lying back down again. The movement seemed to stir the castle owner from her slumber. The tiny humanoid creature sat up slightly and stretched, her little green horsetail brushing against the blanket she was curled on top of. She blinked her eyes open sleepily, looking at him and cocking her head to the side in confusion.

"Kain?"

_V_

Lara sat crosslegged in the middle of her bed, eyes closed and hands on her knees. The white silk curtains drawn around her bed, closing her off from the rest of the world and whatever thoughts came with it. Rain pouring outside the window was the only sound that could be heard. She took a slow, deep breath and opened her eyes.

Her meditation complete, she now needed something to keep her occupied; something to take her mind off what happened back in the cradle. She reached under one of her large pillows and took out an old scroll she had collected on one of her recent trips. It had been hidden away in a secret area in one of the tomb walls. It told of the discovery of an ancient temple hidden deep within the frozen Siberian wastelands. As she read, she found the scroll held not one page but many, including a vague map showing where the temple could be found. At the bottom of one of the pages, strange markings that Lara'd never seen before littered the ancient parchment. The obvious fact they were a type of hieroglyph yet nowhere near familiar looking intrigued her deeply.

She became absorbed in the vague yet fascinating details she found in the scroll. So lost in the world of knowledge was she, that she was vacant to all reality about her. Her ears didn't not notice the sound of her companions calling to her through her bedroom door but nor did her heart ache at the loss of her lost lover.

_They become lost, cold and distant. For some, ever more so than before…_

A strange sense of emptiness settled in Kain's chest, making him uncomfortable and unwilling to speak to the castle's owner. Not even giving her a second glance, he turned away and headed for another corridor. This whole thing was unnerving and Kain refused to acknowledge what the feelings really were; feelings of guilt and sorrow. His stubborn streak surfacing, he stuffed down his feelings as he headed for the castle owner's extensive library hidden deep beneath her castle.

The little castle owner shot his retreating form a strange look as she scratched her head.

"Now ain't he in a fuss…" She turned to her large wolf and shook her head, "Wralyx, nothing good ever comes of Kain coming to see me. I worry about what trouble this visit brings…"

_V_

Hillary knocked softly once more, his knuckles resting gently on the wood as he waited for a reply. He frowned slightly as he waited, it had been hours since his mistress had locked herself away in her room and he had stopped by five times already. Lara Croft refused to even acknowledge that her butler even existed each time he had come by to check on her. He heard rustling of papers and sheets; she was obviously awake but just ignoring him. He sighed, there was only one day that he could that she ever acted like this and it was the anniversary of her father's death. Strangely, today was not that day so he found himself wondering why she was acting like this.

_And in the end, when that has failed them; they have an epiphany or they strive to make amends how they can._

Sestine walked through the halls of her castle; searching the different rooms for her uninvited guest. Wralyx, her wolf, led her to the ancient library that lies hidden under the castle. She held up a torch with the purple flame as she navigated through the catacomb of dusty bookshelves. She turned a few more bends before she found the clearing in the middle of the maze of books. Kain stood at the large hard wood table; several old tomes lie open before him.

"Kain, you should really ask before you use someone else's library." She commented flatly even though she knew such formality was below him. She frowned and placed the torch in a wall hook before climbing onto the table.

"What are you looking at?"

"Preventative measures." Kain replied absentmindedly.

"Excuse me?"

"Preventative measures. This is my world and only I hold the right to ruin it, no one else…" Sestine rolled her eyes at this.

'Of course…. All of Nosgoth has to belong to him….'

"For thousands of years, the Elder God has been pulling the strings on all the humans that are in power…. With him gone, there will be a power struggle between the human forces. This will plunge Nosgoth into war and ruin. It is common knowledge that Nosgoth is full of magical items that would help these humans." He flipped a page, "If they were to get their grubby hands on them they'd cause even more damage. Rather than destroy these head humans, which would cause more chaos and a lack in blood supply, I must find and keep the most powerful of these items out of their reach…." Sestine hummed thoughtfully at this as she looked down at the book he was reading.

"That makes a good deal of sense." She looked up at him as she pushed her bangs out of her eyes, "But that is a lot for one to do by one's self, even for you…." Kain nodded in reply but didn't look up; he just tapped the page of a book lying next to the Soul Reaver. Tiny Sestine crawled across the table and looked at the page. It was an ancient spell book full of difficult spells that were usually thought as forbidden.

"Soul transference…?!"

"Can you do it?"

"Ehh…. Err…. I might… I mean I'm sure I can do it, Kain. But who am I transferring?!"

"….Raziel…." Sestine looked over at the Reaver as Kain pointed to it.

"Ooohh… I take it your plan all those years ago worked then…."

"Correct…"

"And he's in there…?"

"Correct…." Sestine frowned slightly and took the book.

"I'll do what I can, Kain…."

_V_

An hour later, Lara swung the door to her room open and stood in the doorway; hair sopping wet and wearing only a towel.

"Alright, boys, pack your bags…!" She chirped to Hillary and Bryce, who were sitting outside her room playing cards; waiting for her.

"Pack our bags? Whatever for?" Bryce complained, completely confused. Lara smirked and tossed a writing pad to them. Hillary caught it and both men looked at it; it held semi-detailed plans for a tomb raiding mission.

"I have realized that the three of us never spend enough time together." Lara replied, heading back into her room to get changed, "I've decided that a little trip will be a good time for us to bond!" The two men cast worried glances at each other before Hillary called out to his mistress.

"And just where are we going, Lara….?"

"Siberia." They swallowed hard at hearing this, "This is a simple trip to find an old temple in the Siberia wastes and try to decrypt its origin." Lara told them smoothly as she stepped out of her room, clad in a sea green tank top and brown cargo shorts. She saw the disturbed looks on their faces.

"Lara, I hate to break it to you but I really think I've had enough excitement for a lifetime and I'm sure Hills has too." Bryce argued gently, standing up, "Plus, you're not done healing up from this last trip…!"

"Trivial details. Now hurry up and get packed you two." She clapped her hands and smirked evilly, "Pack light, we leave at noon." She smiled fondly as she heard grumbles from Bryce as she watched the two head to their living areas in order to pack. Her smiled slowly morphed to a frown; life was too short to not spend time with the ones you loved. She wanted to share her world with them while she still had the chance, they might not be so lucky next time she tangled with a madman.

_When all is said and done, the sorrow is not gone; only stashed away and hidden. One cannot run from an emotion no matter how hard they try, they can only move through it and use it to make them stronger. As nature's watchful eye, I've seen many a person fall victim to sorrow's song of despair and have it ruin them. But, I feel that sorrow's newest song will sing forth a guiding light that'll save us all._

Kain reached down and gently caught Sestine as she collapsed, her energy spent from the powerful spell casting. His little mage was exhausted but she had done her job; a human Raziel clad in blue and black lay atop the stone table in front of him. Kain gently placed Sestine top the back of her wolf Wralyx, who quickly ferried her away to her room. Kain looked down at Raziel, his pale skin and dark hair resembled that of his vampire form as did the face but with slightly softer features.

"Awaken, Raziel." Cloudy forest green eyes slowly slid open and blinked a few times before his head turned to stared at Kain dumbly.

"..Kain…?"

"Is that all you can say? Usually I cannot get you to shut your mouth." Kain mocked but secretly felt a little relieved, "Now get up, there is work to do." Raziel gave him a strange look.

"Work, what work…?"

_V_

Lara Croft stood bundled up in her form-fitting yet extremely warming exploration suit, a small bag on her back and guns at her hips. Bryce and Hillary stood bundled up in not so form-fitting outfits and large backpacks on their bags. The two men sighed and wondered how they let Lara talk them into coming to Siberia to look for some stupid temple.

"C'mon, boys. Long journey ahead….."

~~~~~P.S. Grah! Longest prologue ever! Sorry for bringing you a new story. ^^' Reviews are welcomed and encouraged. Yes, even flames. They give me something to check online.

sorry about errors. Its super late and I'm in a hurry.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N:Update! ...I really have to stop thinking up new LoK stories...!

Chapter 1

Raziel leaned against the wall in Sestine's kitchen; arms crossed over his chest and slowly blinked the sleep from his eyes. His mind felt fuzzy and he himself felt out of place, he felt like he was submerged in water. He sighed and brought his hands to his face; shutting cloudy eyes as he dragged his fingers through hair.

"Raziel, are you alright…? You seem unwell…" Raziel's eyes slowly slid open, ebony bangs making a curtain over his green eyes. He wasn't surprised to see Sestine walk in but was a little shocked at how sincere she sounded. He was unused to Kain's associates being kind for any reason; this woman was one of the nicest people he had ever met. One of the strangest looking he had ever met too; she was just a little over four-feet-tall, had lavender skin with green hair and a horse's tail but the strangest thing was that she had an alicorn sticking out of her forehead.

"I am unsure, miss….." He said quietly, his voice hoarse from not being used, "Just feeling a bit disoriented as of late…." Sestine gave him a sad smile and handed him a mug of warm tea, he looked at it oddly but took it anyways.

"…Thank you…." He dipped his head slightly to her and brought the mug to his lips, grimacing slightly as he took a sip. Sestine chuckled slightly as she watched him.

"It must be strange having a need to eat and drink after so many years…." She commented as she laid the bag in her hands on the table and then began to pack some food into it. Raziel sighed and nodded, staring down at the murky brew in his mug.

"Yes. I never imagined I'd be alive again let alone human." He took another drink and gagged slightly; it's not that it was bad tasting per say it was just he was unused to having a taste to anything he consumed, "Do you have any idea how long I'll stay this way?"

"No. I am sorry… The spell I used is uncommon… I've never had to take a person's essence out of the universe and reconstruct it into a body before… Very tiring and then a soul transfer was just exhausting. I've been so out of my own head that I haven't been able to look into that little matter; it could be from a few days to a few months…." She gave him an apologetic look as she buckled the latch on the messenger bag then moved over to the stove and started warming some sort of stew up. She stoked the fire and stirred the mixture in the cauldron before heading to the table with a loaf of bread on a wooden cutting board.

"If you're going with Kain you'll need your strength, humans have to eat regularly to do so." She told him gently as she motioned for him to come sat across from her at the table, "Stew will be ready in a few moments."

"Sestine, I do not wish to repay your hospitality with rudeness but may I ask how you came to meet Kain? You are not the type he usually associates with…" He asked somewhat hesitantly as he sat down at the hardwood table, the smell of the stew making his new stomach slightly queasy; he really didn't care for the feeling either.

"Very true. We met one night by accident and he now takes advantage of certain services from me…" Raziel gave her a weird and slightly concerned look that only made her laugh, "Oh no, not those kinds of services..! Dear lord, no. I'm a historian and mage. I study a lot of different types of uncommon magic. If he needs something specific he comes to me."

"You just give him whatever he wants?"

"It's fair trade. He pays me after all. Always the payment is something equal to the service provided."

"Really…?"

"Yes. I have no use for money so he pays me in other ways. The last time I helped him with something he brought me a new set of dishes and silverware. They were a little blood-splattered but in good condition." She smiled at him as she got up and walked to the stove, gently scooping the stew into two wooden bowls. Raziel sighed as he watched her, his eyes slowly drifted downward to look at his hands; what would Kain have to pay her for giving him back a body? He was called from his thoughts as a little wooden bowl was placed in front of him.

"I know you won't like the taste but you have to eat. Just try a bit and don't worry, soon you shall be used to eating again…."

"Lovely…"

~V~

Bryce slumped in his chair, pulling his jacket closer; watching Lara as she rented the supplies they needed. He sighed and looked down at his phone, frowning when he saw there were no bars for service. Beside him, Hillary sat up straight; his only movement was his fingers tapping on his knee. Both men felt very uncomfortable in their current predicament: stuck on a adventure with Lara and not being able to go home until she said so.

"Well, now…. Funny seeing you two here." Both jumped slightly in their chairs as they turned to see who was talking. They frowned when they spotted Alex West smirking down at them. Bryce rolled his eyes and Hillary frowned.

"The same we may say of you, Mister West." The butler replied pulling his coat closer about him as Alex pulled up a chair.

"So, you boys here on business or on your honeymoon?" Alex asked them with a jeering smirk, making Bryce pout and Hillary look as close to baring his teeth as a proper butler could come.

"Business, which happens to be none of yours, Alex." Alex jumped in his chair as Lara came up behind him and growled the words angrily. She crossed her arms under her rounded chest and rested her weight on one hip, frowning at him.

"Oh, heya, Lara…" Alex purred annoyingly as he stood up and grinned at her. His cheery disposition did not help the female tomb raider's mood at seeing him there, "Here, have my seat."

"No thank you, Alex. The boys and I have to be going; we're on a tight deadline."

"Really? Where you off to with your two prized dogs?" Lara bared her teeth at this, followed with cries of protest from her two friends.

"I have already told you; know of your business, Alex." She whipped around, smacking him in the face with her braid as she raised her hand and motioned for her boys to follow her, "Good bye, Alex…."

"Bye Lara…." He replied, gently rubbed where her hair had hit him against the jaw. He watched as Bryce and Hillary stood, grabbed their surprisingly small amount of luggage and followed their tomb raider. The male tomb raider watched them go as he reached for his wallet. Once she was out of sight, he walked up to the clerk at the rental booth.

"Same equipment you gave my lady friend but for one, please."


	3. Chapter 2

A/N:A freakishly long and semi-late update! IT felt like it took an eternity to write! Now, it's very late and I should have been asleep like 5 hours ago and I'm very tired so I can really care less right now if there are errors... But please, enjoy and please R&R

**_Raziel Narrative: Sample_**

_Lara Narrative: Sample_

Chapter 2

Raziel sighed and grunted at the feeling of swamp mire seeping through his trousers and into his boots. The thick slime was making his ability to walk near impossible as he trudged on and made breathing laborious. He was exhausted; he had been traveling with Kain for several hours straight and he was sure his body was close to collapsing. Kain was on a crusade to help Nosgoth and gain some items to affect the tide of power against human forces and whatever other forces might be lurking in Nosgoth.

Feeling out of breath, Raziel came to a stop, sinking slightly deeper into the muck as he rested his hands on his knees and forced his breathing to be even. His legs were strong but still new and unused to being used for such long treks. Throbbing pains made his muscles burn. He had been pushing himself too far; too proud to ask Kain for a break. His legs felt weak and shaky under him, barely holding his weight; his situation not being helped by the swamp water that made his leather trousers cling uncomfortably.

"What's the matter, Raziel? Tired already?" Raziel growled as he heard the voice and raised his head to glare up into the trees at his sire.

"And you, Kain, scared of a little swamp water?" He growled back between ragged pants. He could see the vampire lord up in the trees, staying well above the water as they searched the swamp for an old temple. The marsh's stagnate mire more water than earth and therefore a hazard to Kain's health.

"Of course not, Raziel, but unlike you I cannot just wash off the grime. That and you seem to be plenty filthy enough for the two of us." Kain smirked as he watched his first born slur curses up at him as he jadedly crawled his way out of the sludge and onto a more solid scrap of land that one of the large trees clung to. Kain shook his head and jumped down with more grace than one might think possible of someone like him. Raziel growled slightly and shifted away from his sire moodily. Only resulting in making Kain laugh at his pathetic attempt and reached down to grasp the clan flag around Raziel's neck. Raziel jerked slightly away from the touch but relaxed slightly when he remembered Kain wasn't going to hurt him.

"Kain, what are you doing…?!" Raziel growled, trying to mask his concern with the noise as his body stiffened in fear when Kain reached under the flag-turned-scarf and firmly gripped his jaw; pressing on the hinges to force his mouth open.

"Quit your squirming, Raziel…" Kain sighed and gagged Raziel with his own clan marker, "You will be of no use to me if you've exhausted all your strength. The gag is to keep me from going deaf from your incessant complaining…" He then gripped both his wrists and pressed them to Raziel's stomach, trapping his first born's hands as he picked him up around his middle. Raziel was confused why Kain was being so "nice" when his sire leaped back into the trees with him still in hand.

~V~

Lara frowned behind her face mask, the fresh snow that was falling swirled before her goggles. She pulled her snowmobile to a stop beside a snowbank. She pulled her small backpack off and pulled it to the front. She used it as a shield to protect the scroll as she pulled it out of her jacket. She gently unrolled it and looked over the details.

"Ugh.. Lara is it much farther..?!" Bryce whimpered as he slumped against his snowmobile, "It feels like we've been traveling for hours!"

"Bryce, you're being overly dramatic." Hillary chided, "Now. Leave Lara alone, she's busy. Keep distracting her and we'll be stuck out here for much longer." Bryce sighed and listened to the butler. He reached up a hand and rubbed his nose through the cloth face mask before reaching into his pocket to check the battery on his iPod. He rested his chin on the snowmobile handle, looking over and watching Lara. He had to admit that he admired her ability to take a ragged old piece of paper and turn it into an adventure without a single computer. He smiled slightly, glad that she was his boss slash friend.

"Alright, boys. I believe I have found the way." Lara gently hid the scroll away and turned towards them, "We still have a snow pass to go through and the entrance should engraved in a large mountain cliff." She nodded towards the way they were heading, flipping her ponytail behind her head where it belonged before starting up her snowmobile.

Visions of what it might look like played in her head as she rode. The chance to find and explore a place that others didn't even remotely know about because the scroll maker was the only person to discover it. She suddenly frowned on this train of thought. If no one else had been there then there still had to be tons of traps. The traps would all still be set. What if the boys got hurt? Could she really take them there? She couldn't lose someone again so soon. She gritted her teeth and gripped the handles of her snowmobile tightly. No, she wouldn't lose them. She would share her world with them and protect them. They were her family and she wouldn't let them slip away. She kicked the machine into high gear and led the way; she would make sure the way was safe.

Some thirty feet behind them, hidden by the snowstorm, Alex West followed them. He frowned and looked down at his map. The sheet of paper had no markings of any place being even remotely close to the area. He looked up again and saw them start to leave. With a sigh, he started up his snowmobile and began to follow.

What on earth was Lara thinking? Coming all the way out here to the middle of a frozen wasteland with two untrained companions; it made no sense. What could she possibly have found that was so important as to endanger her two most prized treasures?

~V~

Raziel let out a grunt as Kain dropped him on the hard ground before walking up to the large door before them. With a tiny growl, he rolled onto his side and pulled his scarf out of his mouth; glaring at Kain.

"Stop your complaining, Raziel and come over here."

"Complaining!? I haven't said anything! How could I whilst gagged!?" Raziel snapped as he slowly pushed himself onto his hands and knees.

"No. But you were indeed thinking them…." Kain commented absentmindedly as he studied the door, "Raziel, do hurry. This is very interesting." Raziel sighed as he got to his feet and brushed the dried mud and sludge from his trousers. Rewrapping his scarf around his neck, he walked up to the door.

"Alright, Kain…." He rubbed his bruised side and glared up at his sire, "What is so magnificently interesting that you pulled me from my own personal Hell?"

"Don't be smart mouthed, Raziel." Kain replied, gently slapping him upside the head to get his point across but not severely injure him. Raziel mumbled in retort as he rubbed his head and looked at what Kain was explaining about. He looked up at the magnificent stone doors; the designs carved in the face disturbed him but he didn't know why. It all looked like gibberish to him.

"This was hidden, Raziel…" Kain raised a hand to the door, not noticing the strange look Raziel was giving him, "Look at it… It is centuries old yet never found or even looked for… This whole wetland has never been seen in any of my time on this world." A claw trailed some of the cravings in the stone, the shapes unrecognizable even to him.

"This means what to us, Kain?" Kain could only laugh at how utterly confused his companion sounded.

"Raziel, look closer at the situation and not the object itself. It is not coincidence that this becomes visible to us only mere months after the Elder God is gone. It was obviously something he was hiding from all of Nosgoth, something he did not want anyone finding out about." Raziel hadn't thought of it like that. His perspective changed as he watched Kain trail a hand over the door, pressing random pieces and making tumblers inside unlock.

"Kain. What could he possibly hide that he wouldn't even let his followers take advantage of for his own gain…?"

"I do not know." He pressed one more piece of stone and the doors screeched open, "Shall we find out?"

~ V~

Lara pulled down her mask and smiled up at the massive door before them. It had taken them many hours and many breaks but they had finally found the legendary temple just like the scroll had said. She looked over at her two companions and laughed as they sat there with jaws wide open.

"Now c'mon, boys, you've seen doors before." Bryce swung his head towards her, eyes wide.

"But Lara! Look at these, they're huge!"

"Yes. I noticed that." She chirped as she slid off her snowmobile. She fixed her tiny backpack on her back before motioning for them to follow, "You can't explore if you sit there all day."

"Lara…. Are you sure this is safe?" Hillary asked as he got off his. He frowned when his mistress smiled and chuckled.

"No, of course not. These things are rarely safe, that is what makes them an adventure." She purred in reply as she looked and studied the carvings in the stone door, "How strange… Squids are hardly ever used as warnings in pictograms…" Her brow furrowed as she ran her hand over some of the pictures until she came upon a loose stone. She hummed softly as she studied the stone and noticed it pushed in. She gave a small smirk and turned to her companions.

"Okay, I need you two to search around this door. We're looking for some more buttons like this, they must open the door." Bryce and Hillary quickly nodded and went to work as Lara took off her pack. Her mind focused on the symbols she had seen on the door as she knelt down and opened her bag, she pulled a sketch book and pencil out. She began to sketch the designs she saw, leaving tiny notes next to them. There was no culture that she knew that corresponded to the images she saw on the door. Maybe, once she was inside she would find hints to what culture it belonged to and more about its people. Why was this massive squid-like creature so frequent in the drawings? Could it be a god of some sort, perhaps?

"Ugh… Lara? We're done…." Bryce informed her, gently tapping her on the shoulder. She smiled and looked away from her sketches.

"Excellent. Let's see if we can open this door, shall we?" She handed him the sketch book and headed back to their section of the door. She smiled as she looked up to see sticky notes pressed against the different buttons, marking their place for her.

She stepped back and studied all the stone pieces carefully, their formations forming together in her mind. She reached forward and pushed in the one she believed to be the first; she was rewarded with the sound of tumblers moving the locking mechanism. Knowing she was on the right track, she began to quickly undo the rest of the lock until it was completely undone and massive stone door slowly creaked in.

"C'mon boys, we have a temple to explore." She quickly removed the sticky notes and headed inside.

~V~

Raziel frowned; night had already hit the swamp so when they opened the door to the temple the outside gave no light into the dark opening. Having human eyes, the near pitch black was taking an eternity to adjust his eyes to be able to see. He sighed moodily as Kain closed the heavy doors, cutting off every scrap of light that his eyes could have adjusted to.

"What is wrong, Raziel? Scared of the dark…?"

"The dead are not afraid of the dark, Kain…" There was no snap to Raziel's reply, just exhaustion.

"But you are no longer dead."

"…Aren't I…?" Kain frowned in the darkness when he heard the whispered reply. He had known Raziel to be angry and bitter but never truly pessimistic about his "life". This was Raziel's third chance at getting a new life and the first time where it belonged solely to Raziel and Kain wasn't going to let him waste all the hard work that went into this by letting him be self-loathing. He just needed something to get his mind off his past and focus on something else; like puzzles. Raziel was a little slow but he was excellent at puzzles.

Kain smirked and placed a hand on Raziel's back, feeling him jump slightly, before creating a magical ball of light in front of his first born's face.

"Take this and make yourself useful." He commanded as he let the light hover there, "See if there is anything that will tell us what is hidden here." Raziel glared up at him but sighed and took the orb anyways, heading to the east side of the temple foyer they were in.

~R~

**_A pathetic shiver ripped through my body and I jump as I feel Kain's claws gently touch between my shoulder blades. Involuntary and childish, this body has no wings for him to remove and therefore no need to have such a fear. I hear his command and glare up at him to try and make up for the fear but it is no use. I am too tired to care; physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted. I sigh and gently take his gift of light in my hands before heading to the west side of this temple's opening room. As I walk, I can see the beautiful craftsmanship along the wall of these old ruins. Strange… Well chasing Kain, I never just stopped to appreciate the workmanship of the places around me. They are all vague memories now, but looking upon these wondrous arts I wish I had paid more attention to their detail. …Perhaps a new pastime is needed for this tired soul to truly rest… Studying ancient architecture may be what I need and would be easy to come by now that I am once again in the service of Kain…_**

Raziel looked up at the tall stone walls in awe as he came to a hallway. The orb gave off a halo of light around him, allowing him to see and admire the different designs. There were ridges and swirls, ancient carvings and tales of old all engraved into the cracking stone. He reached out and trailed his fingertips against it, relishing the gritty feel against his sensitive skin. A tiny smile appeared, unsummoned, upon his lips as he felt every contour. Pulling himself away from the designs, he continued down the long corridor. As he went along, all the pictograms began to take the same disturbing turn. They became winged figures, taking on main characteristics of the ancient vampires but with secondary features of some other species but what concerned him was the poses they were taking. Row upon row of the figures were kneeling, heads bowed and all facing towards the end of the corridor. Traveling further down the corridor, Raziel came to the end and to a distressing conclusion of the pictograms. He gritted his teeth as he held the orb aloft, the light shimmering down to illuminate a massive figure in the middle of the twin doors blocking the end of the corridor. The figure was of that of an all too familiar parasite reaching out its tentacles towards the winged figures.

"You disgusting filth… What web were you spinning when you had this temple erected?" Raziel hissed as he reached out a hand and touched the huge carved squid, dragging his short clipped nails across one of the eyes.

"I see you have found the clue upon which the entirety of this place is centered around…" Raziel jumped at the sound of Kain's voice suddenly echoing behind him. He hissed and hunched his shoulders. Only Kain could walk so quietly for someone his size and accomplish the act of unnerving him so, simply by standing close to him.

Kain loomed over him, staring at the carving of the Elder God.

"Do you know how to unlock it?" He looked down at Raziel and caught his glance before looking back at the door.

"If he is the guardian of this door than perhaps he is the key." Raziel put his hands back on the door, "This temple was shrouded so there was little need to create very complicated locks. I believe it's the eyes…"

"What makes you say that?"

"The engraving around certain ones is deeper. That and when I would speak to him, the pupils of his eyes would face only one way where these point in all directions…."

"Excellent." Kain complimented as he reached for the eyes that Raziel could not reach. It took mere moments for them fix all the eyes, rewarded by the door unlocking and screeching open for them.

The two stepped inside, both caught up in the awe of the workings of the room. Wall to wall were colossal forms of clockwork, all ticking and turning.

"Extraordinary…" Kain breathed in amazement, earning a confused look from Raziel.

"What is it, Kain…?" Raziel became unnerved as Kain placed a claw under his chin and gently forced him to face a certain way.

"Simple, Raziel…. They are chronometers… Keepers of time." He motioned a hand to them, "And they are all counting down to something…!"

"But what….?"

"That is the great mystery, Raziel."

~L~

_I could not help but stare in awe as the doors slowly slide open on their own accord and the light fills the room beyond. It's beautiful! Architecture that doesn't look quite human… It's lovely; tall pillars and statues all decorated in swirling carvings and whimsical runes. I cannot suppress my chuckle as I hear Bryce swear in amazement next to me while Hillary just stands there looking stunned. Knowing that we could freeze if we just stand here, I quickly rush the boys into the temple. A shudder passes through my body as I step inside, it's warm and dark. I can hear Bryce squeak in surprise as the temple doors slam shut behind us. A smile spreads across my face; this is so much more enjoyable with my "family" with me…_

"Lara! It's pitch black in here, I can't see a thing!"

"Oh do calm down, Bryce…" Hillary complained as the computer geek clung to him pathetically in fear.

"Here." Lara said softly followed by a crack of plastic, she had snapped some glowsticks; handing one to each of them, "Let's have a look around, shall we?" She flung her ponytail behind her shoulder and looked about as her two companions nodded. Lara hummed softly as she picked the eastern side of the temple, having spotted a large corridor. The three looked on in wonder as they walked down it, eyeing the kneeling figures on the wall. Lara reached behind her, silently demanding her sketchbook back. It was placed in her hand and she flipped it open as she placed her glowstick in her mouth. Hillary, the loyal butler that he was, rushed up and gently took it for her; watching as his mistress began to draw the images from walls into her book.

"There is that squid again…" Lara commented as they came to a large set of twin doors at the end of the corridor.

"What does it mean?"

"….I'm not sure yet, Bryce…"

_It took me an annoying amount of time to figure out the little puzzle to unlock the door. Turns out you had to turn all the moveable eyes that littered the squid's body a certain way. With that small task out of the way, the door slid open and we stepped inside. Inside the room beyond was a wonder to behold! Eight large clocks, all counting down to something. I have no clue what this something is but I can only imagine its wonder. Though I have little time to dwell on this though because Bryce, being the clumsy dear that he is has just bumped into a very obscure switch and there's a blinding flash of light. In my many years of travels I have learned to expect a lot of things but I never expected the light to make a man magically appear, especially one as handsome yet entirely strange looking like the one that just has appeared. Even from his place crumpled on the floor I can see that he is tall and thin when standing. It is his features that really strike me as strange… He clothes look to be from the dark ages, his skin is as pale as snow and his hair a dark ebony tinted with blue and strange tattoos under his eyes that spread down onto his cheeks. And from what he says, I take it he is not alone here._

"Kain, you oaf! You really must work on your teleportation spells…!" The black-haired man slowly climbed to his feet and brushed the dirt off himself as he looked up, his look of shock quickly turning to a snarl at seeing Lara and her companions, "Who are you?!"


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: A proper introduction between Lara and Raziel. Feel free to shout any problems. Enjoy. ^^

**_Raziel Narrative: Sample_**

_Lara Narrative: Sample_

Chapter 3

Hillary and Bryce looked on in shock as the dark-haired man dropped into an attack position, obviously seeing them as a threat. A smirk passed over Lara's lips as she took up a cocky yet seductive pose; legs apart slightly, fists on hips and her well-rounded bosom puffed out as she stared him down. Her boys couldn't figure out what she was trying to accomplish by doing this and could only watch.

_"Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, at your service." I say honestly as I stare him down and flip my hair, adding a slight bounce of my breasts to gauge his reaction. He completely ignores the movement of my chest, an unusual detail but most intriguing. He only ever breaks eye contact to glance down at my pistols but quickly looks me in the eyes again. He's judging how much of a danger I am to him. Interesting that he would recognize my guns as weapons as I can clearly see his weapons; a short sword and a long dagger are strapped to his belt, obviously an old world fighter. His whole form and manner of appearing here is starting to give me clues to where he might be from; time travel being at the top of my list. It sounds absurd but I cannot dismiss the theory as I have seen it before. But back to current matters; I have to get our guest to start talking._

_"It's polite to introduce oneself during introductions." I purr and swing my hips slightly to shift my weight to my other hip. I can see his lithe body relax a bit and he straightens slightly._

_"I am Raziel."He replies flatly. What a beautiful name, so much lore behind it. Such a name makes me wonder about the symbol on the scarf he's wearing as well. It reminds me of the symbols in this temple, ancient and whimsical. I wonder if they are from the same time period…_

_"Lovely name. It means Secret of God, does it not?" I ask softly, trying to make conversation; the reaction I receive is not what I would expect…_

_"Yes. It does…" He frowns and hisses out the words. He obviously has a severe distaste for the meaning though I am unsure why._

Lara was about to say something in reply when Raziel suddenly drew his dagger with quick reflexes and threw it through the space between Lara's side and akimbo arm. Lara rose an eyebrow is surprise at his good aim but her boys squeaked in fright to the side of her. She watched in interest as he glared behind her.

"Come into the light, you rat!" He hissed and straightened up fully, shoulders back and chest arched outward slightly.

"Whoa! Lara, call off your new guard dog!" Lara pouted, blowing the loose strands of hair out of her face; she knew that voice all too well. She winked at Raziel before spinning around, arms folded under her bosom and her braid swinging over her shoulder to lie over her chest.

"Alex West. Why am I not surprised…?" She sighed, shifting her weight again as she watched him stalk out of the shadows, holding Raziel's dagger in one hand and using his other hand to apply pressure on the slight slice wound in his upper arm.

"He heh… Hiya, Lara…." Alex replied softly, wincing at his stinging arm, "I came out here to see if you'd found anything that might sell well but all you've found are some old clocks and a pretty new boy toy. You really shouldn't bring the kids when you go shopping for those." He smirked around Lara at Raziel; it was easy to tell by the look on Raziel's face that he didn't understand what Alex was talking about with those last few remarks.

"Not my way of operating but I guess a pretty boy like that might sell for a pretty penny..." Raziel understood that perfectly and reached for his short sword. A second later, Lara was in front of him; her hands over his and her bosom pressed to his chest.

"Don't do it, love…" She smiled sweetly and flashed her pretty brown eyes at him, "He's just a pathetic nobody with nothing better to do than goat people into fights. Think nothing of it."

_This is far from my normal way of handling such a situation but if Raziel really is from another time or even a place that's like it is stuck in the past, things could get messy. He seems old fashioned (really old fashion) and a woman's charm might be the trick to calm him. I do _not _want Alex screwing up this meeting. Raziel reminds me of a skittish animal, as if he is unused to being around other humans. Meaning I need to tread lightly around him until I get to know him better. I soothingly rub his hand as he grits his teeth and grips the hilt of his sword. He seems to be a little unnerved that I am touching him but it seems to be working; it's putting his focus on my closeness and what I might be up to rather than drawing his sword and killing Alex. I admit, I feel like killing the man myself sometimes but here is not the time or the place. _

Alex stared in amazement as Lara acted so gently with this strange man but shut his mouth as he was smart enough to realize that Lara was trying to keep him from being murdered. Maybe he shouldn't have made that joke; apparently this guy had no sense of humor.

**_I have been insulted many times in my lives but to be called a harlot because of my looks is insufferable! A snarl escapes my throat as I go to draw my blade; these human reflexes are so slow…! Just as I touch the hilt of my sword, the woman, Lara, is in front of me. She presses herself against my person and stays my hand. She clearly wants me not to kill this filth despite her obvious annoyance. Normally, I would not hesitate but I am unfamiliar with this place and its inhabitants. This woman seems to keep an air of authority and fierceness about her and as I have learned from Moebius' mercenaries; a well-trained female can be extremely hazardous when angered. Until I can uncover more about my situation I will try to quell my anger at this man but if he crosses me once more I do not gauntee that I will not draw my sword…_**

Lara smiled sweetly at Raziel when she felt him relax; he just narrowed his eyes and released his sword as she stepped back. Lara gave a silent sigh of relief as she turned back around to face Alex again. She made a motion to the male tomb raider to go to a corner for them to talk, telling Bryce and Hillary to keep an eye on Raziel as she passed them. She stepped into the corner with Alex, frowning at him as she crossed her arms.

"Alex, have you lost your mind…?!" She demanded, getting as close to a yell as she could while still whispering, "We know nothing about him. You could have started something cataclysmic!"

"Calm down, Lara." Alex raised his hands a bit to make a settle down motion, "I had no idea he'd take the joke so badly. That guy must not know how to laugh..!"

"That is besides the point, Alex. This is a very delicate situation. He appeared out of nowhere and I was trying to find out about him. He was actually talking to me but thanks to your idiotic stunt he seems to have clammed up." She pouted at him, "His obvious connection to these ruins is very important. I must find out who built them and why?" Alex smirked at her and crossed his arms.

"Is that really your reasons behind getting to know him, Lara? Or do you just like the way he looks?" Lara frowned and gave him a bored glare.

"Alex, if you're going to stay, get your mind out of the gutter." She turned around, "This is my expedition but you can stay on one condition. You'll be in charge of making sure Bryce and Hillary stay safe. If anything happens to them you'll have to answer to me." She glared back at him as he was about to make a smart remark and stopped him in his tracks. Alex sighed and nodded slightly.

"Fine, you win, Lara." He smirked as she looked away; this was his lucky day. Normally, Lara would have thrown him out of the temple to keep him from stealing any artifacts from her but she seemed too preoccupied by this newcomer to bother with him.

~V~

Raziel stepped back away from the group of humans, they were making him uncomfortable. Turning around, he focused his attention on the chronometers. He could hear the humans chittering away behind him as he put his hand to the wall. He trailed his fingers over the carvings in the stones around the chronometers, the runes were unfamiliar; ancient like the ones in all the places he had gone in his travels. Characters that even Kain couldn't read. Raziel frowned, that reminded him; where was Kain? He sighed, he'd have to look for him later, it was more important to investigate these ruins and try to figure out why they had teleported him here.

**_I can only frown as I try to look at these old carvings. They are worn and the lighting in this chamber is poor, making it very difficult to see. I long for the days when I could actually see in the near pitch black. A tired sigh escapes me as I give up on trying to understand these old symbols. I grit my teeth against my clan marker as I press a hand to my stomach. A pain has appeared, telling me that my body hungers but I can do nothing about it. I had laid my bag on the floor next to Kain's foot when he was explaining the mechanisms in this chamber and it seems that much like Kain, the bag was not teleported with me. Trying to ignore the hunger pangs, I turn back to the runes. These must hold some important detail but of what I am not sure. I have to squint and that does little to help me see better in this dreadful lighting._**

**_"It may be easier if you use one of these." The sound of Lara's voice suddenly beside me surprises me but I do not jump. I turn my head to look at her as she offers me a strange object._**

Lara chuckled at the confused look on Raziel's face as she handed him a flashlight. She gently took his hand and placed it around the object before flipping it on. She couldn't help but laugh when he jumped as the light flashed on.

"Sorry, love, should have warned you first." She drew he hand back, "This is a torch, or as the American's call it; a flashlight." She explained softly as Raziel looked it over and pointed the light at the carvings. He was about to say something but stopped suddenly as his stomach made a noise to tell him it was hungry; making him flush in annoyance and slight embarrassment. Lara smiled gently as she motioned back towards her companions.

"It would seem you're hungry. Come, I'll have Hills make us all something to eat. He's an excellent cook."


End file.
